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Thanks Richard. Of course spam on your blog has increased since i blocked guest posts on the forum… i honestly believe someone just wants to make my life miserable. @Pioneer1 would say it is an overt act of racism.

I would like to live in this painting (the house by the river) with someone.

Thank you, Mel. You have made my day. Yes, the text next to each picture gives ingredients, process, and an anecdote that includes a quote from my mother or a story that illustrates not only her philosophy about food, but, of course, about life. From the beginning, I make it clear that it is not a cookbook or a how to book, but a book that will inspire some to create their own culinary art, others to enjoy the art when they frame the perforated large format prints on their wall, and everyone to be touched by my mother's story. It is a companion book to the first book, An Extraordinary Life: Josephine E. Jones. The talented illustrator has created an elegant cover that is a work of art, just like the contents of the book. Now if I can get the emergency loan-grant to pay the publicist, I won't have to attempt to do it myself. Thanks again.

Okay, WOW! I am going to make a notebook to keep up with this information. Thank you @Mel Hopkins I am going to break this down and digest this. OMGOSH! I can understand this.

@Chevdove Thank you for asking!!! (I'm so excited)...ACCESS = LOCATION and refers to where people are most likely to get information about something that interest them. Example - If you are interested in creole cooking - you're are likely to show up to a location that either serves creole food or teaches creole cooking. You will most likely search for creole recipes and even find a creole history club to join locally or the internet. You may even show up here AALBC to look for books on the origins of creole culture or if experts post here. You might even start your own thread about creole culture. NOTE: business owners provide what customers need so the customer can get what they want. Your interest in creole cooking means either you or loved one wants to eat it. So business owners fills the need - by selling a cookbook, opening a restaurant or inviting you to take a trip to the source. So, someone who is promoting, lets say Louisiana travel tours, will make sure they share their information at all those access points where you are likely to show up. They will be at the places where you might look for information creole cooking. It may be advertisement or even information about authentic creole cooking spot on the tour - or even the best dish and include a recipe... Now they have your attention you may even jot down their information for future reference - and remember them when you plan your trip so you can get some good food. This is how the best marketers are getting noticed in today's marketplace. EDUCATION = A MOVEMENT A lot of independent authors think they don't know their audience. My suggestion is to start of movement of one. Ask yourself, "what do I believe needs changing?" I did something similar when starting this blog. I believe Marketing = Change. Marketing is a force that shakes up the status quo. I believe independent authors are unaware they use marketing in the course of their daily living. Therefore, my mission is to help authors realize they can create change through intentional use of the marketing techniques they unwittingly use daily. I was the first person in my "marketing is a four-letter word" movement. I was the first one in the audience. I'm so passionate about this topic, I just want to spread the word to anyone who will listen. I believe, "If you don't believe in your movement or are passionate about it - no one will be." Creating a movement of one is the first step. It will help you clarify what you intend to change. Then, you will be able to identify the people who are interested in your subject matter. You'll notice there are "followers" who will agree with your mission. (note: it might not happen immediately - that's why you have to be patient and passionate.) These people are your core audience. Don't waste your time trying convert anyone who is not interested. Focus on those who are interested. -These "followers" will become your ambassadors who will bring other like-minded people to the movement. How to start a movement: Now, the best thing about being a writer is ideas and words are our movement. We just have to educate others and lead them to the goal we he hope to accomplish. If we didn't believe in changing something we wouldn't write in the first place. And the best way to help others make a change is by sharing information (Education). So when you start your movement answer "Who, what,where, when, why and how." from there you will understand what information you need to share to build your audience.

@Troy The action is here! Some of Independent authors here seem to echo the same thing "I didn't know how to market my book." Except, they do. -It appears they're not strategic in their marketing practices. I was the same way with my first novel - I knew what to do but I didn't work my plan. I like how you call it a (book marketing )"clinic" because it is! We, independent authors, already know what's wrong - we just aren't consistent with our "outpatient" care. I'm writing this out for me too. I believe this is one the best places for original content on the subject. By the way, I like that I don't even have to repost it to my profile - the software keeps track of all my postings as long as I'm signed in. Oh! I'll check out @dtpollard. @Troy OMG @hen81 is my writing "hero"! He didn't come here to play with us one-book every 20 year folks !!! 65 titles according to his last post!

You are giving a clinic now @Mel Hopkins. DT PollarUsed to posr here quiet regularly. He really was cranking the ebook several a year (or so it seemed).

@richardmurray Thank you! Happy New Year! @Troy LOL! You don't miss a chance to give facebook the boot LOL GOOD JOB!!! Facebook and anything it touches is anti-life...

@Troy @richardmurray I get them as well and just delete them.

@SpeakHerTruth yeah, dungeons and dragons is a game built for escapism. People when they play the board game are imaging themselves other things in other worlds. It is literally for the fun of adventure so if the film focuses on that it will probably do well. The only worry is the lack of logic, dungeons and dragons players like rules, the game has rules. the film, if it doesn't break rules it makes itself, then I think the global fanbase to the board game will be satisfied. I never heard of one night ultimate werewolf, thanks for sharing, please post in the group your expanded thoughts to ONUW in a post:) cool, i like monopoly too

I probably won't ask a question since I've never been into dungeons and dragons, but the movie looks very interesting. I might have to give that a looksee. In terms of boards games I'm more of a One night ultimate werewolf kinda woman. lol I also love monopoly, trouble, and others.

exactly, @SpeakHerTruth anyone who knows a woman who is a competitive martial artists , any style, knows she is muscular. That chun-li has no muscle I can see it the beginning of the story P.B.: "Ohh piglet , I need to get to the honey" Piglet: "Pooh! , that big blue creature is coming for you" P.B. "Don't worry Piglet..I will just sit and be cute " TO BE CONTINUED:)

"Who does this chun-li fight in the street against? pooh bear?:) " No, but for real too funny

@Rodney campbell yes she does want attention ,she is a body painter who has won competitions for her work

You are correct. I do expect more from the games I play. Especially in regard to effects and ingame character physical interaction, as well as more voiceover relevant to the ingame universe at that moment in the game. At the same TIME. I dont mind watching the basic gameplay. Because I am not the one who is playing. I have lost track of how many of the advanced effects and liveaction videos of game characters I have watched over the years. Many of them becoming a favorite of mine in their respective gaming category, and specific game genre.

my pleasure @Troy as always, all the best to AALBC

@Troyno I can't, nor do I get notifications of the spam. If it wasn't for you I will not know.

Thanks so much Richard for your response. You make a good point that goes to the heart of the contradiction in American history. The genocide of indigenous people and enslavement of blacks were conscious collectively racist acts by people who built a legal and constitutional framework around individualism. In a sense racism is systemic even collective yet it enables white people to view themselves and function as individuals. They then deny the systemic problem and black experience.

good points, the usa's fiscal environment, from the destruction of most indigenous peoples to the enslavement of blacks, no matter their ancestral descendency, was communal in nature. It wasn't each indigenous must be killed or each black is enslaved, it was all indigenous must be kileld or all blacks are enslaved. The fiscal reality is in contrast to the declaration or constitutions legal framework, which emphasizes individual rights over any collective. For whites who had and have the positive fruits of both the fiscal communalism or the legal individualism, it has brought about a modern white community that is in itself very multiracial. But, for communities of differing descent<indigenous> or phenotype<black> the fiscal disadvantage and the legal misapplication they received and received creates a terrible environment for the 2022 usa to be a happy rainbow

I remember when I saw Hialeah after waking up. The members of the raiding band cautiously behind me. She was cooking food for all. I knew few english words, my name being John; but she didn’t mind. I met her eyes and she already knew mine. We fell in love, and I joined her raiding party. We survived tons of gunfire as colonist numbers grew and grew. We even got through a pregnancy in a winter woods in the MicMaq lands now called New England. Aponi, our little treasure, skipping in the snow. Hialeah’s feet after the pregnancy always needed extra comfort. I had to make special shoes for her. Then, the colonists in 1775 finally wanted to not be english. We talked about what we should do. She reminded all of us, her people were assaulted by the colonist and had to flee. The colonists fable of being aided is their version of saying they stole from native people. Her people of the Powhatan Confederacy had to protect our food from colonists, who eventually raided across the Tsenacommacah and made it Virginia. She will never forgive the colonists, whether they call themselves english or american. And the persistence of their myth of friendship, sickens her very soul. I agreed, some others joined me and her, but most chose to go farther west. I didn’t know about my people across the great water, but I will never forgive the colonists, no matter what they call themselves either. And, we few went south. We were at the battle for Jersey. I even saw a flamboyant soldier defend against the colonists. After meeting Richard Freeman, he told me that Ethiopia is a place across the big water. Since I never heard of a place across the great water where I came from before, I called myself John Ethiopia. And then, the war got worse. My beautiful land was shot during a raid, I held our butterfly, as her mother sung her last song to her. And, in 1783, the war ended. Me plus our daughter, the last of our band, were sent to Nova Scotia. The cold was too much for the little butterfly and she died. Alone, cold, my memory of her with our little life losing color or definition in the last thoughts in my life. My spirit now gives thanks not living under the colonists, as their kingdom grew. A kingdom full of thieves. I give thanks for being eternally free from its lies, side my loving wife and child. Beyond the confines or the reach of the eagle. Thank you for reading, if you want to read more of my work read below Poetry or More https://www.kobo.com/ebook/poetry-or-more-1 Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/richard-murray-16885e64-6c28-459e-bf5f-45c7d458ce49 AALBC https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/blog/29-richard-murray-hearth/

I watched the local news yesterday and when I look at the photo all I can see is a forest fire consuming me and all of my belongings or that river over flowing it's banks an washing everything I own away... More seriously; I guess were are in the midst of autumnal equinox. Here in Florida that is usually heralded by a drop in the humidly, the end of the afternoon thunderstorm, and the arrival love bugs. Since the tree leaves don't change color and die here it is like the springtime. @rosa "...with someone" is the important part. That experience would be goo alone, but great with someone.

An autumn wind speak this morning. It speak that the autumn is here for good, until the winter wind come. Let me boil some syrup. I need to get the wood, give me a moment. <Sniffle> I remember when I came here. The tantalum rush was amazing. Can you imagine a stream of automated vessels, frozen bodies inside , risking fate, between harvested body parts to raided goods to slavery on an A.B. hideaway , streaming from the spaceport in Addis Abeba to Beijing2 on Europa. I recall viewing it,nightly, with my ElectronMacroscope, from here on Titan. Few of those brave travelers made it here; the terraforming of this moon was the last initiative of the United Nations before the fall. But, millions came to this moon for the Tantalum. I worked my way here: a labor ticket to the moon from Earth, thirty years serving Senor Quetza who is still a lunar lord, paid my way to the graneries of mars for thirty years of overseering the self-automates, then enough money to take a long arc frozen trip around the AB and the battles of Jupiter. From out of my mother's womb to Titan took ninety one years. At seventy-eight I was content. I never found a woman on the way who wanted eternity with me or likewise. I helped a few people become mature. But, I just wanted to reach this place. Took me five years but I found this little enclave between mountains, no Tantalum, but everything I truly wanted. Some place to rest after a life lived. I hear something. I am getting dressed to go out. Sometimes my fellow minors lose themselves in their depression. <creeeeek> I don't see anyone. ... I hear it again. Let me check the river. Ahh.... The Autumn Deer is looking at me from the frozen mist down the mountain in the nearby wood. Amazing how the deer evolved here. "Hello Friend!" Ahh, he is going into the ice blue mist. Enjoy life my friend, as I have. If anyone find my audiorecordings this land is in your caretaking. The tantalum can not be mined forever. And the beauty here can not outlast the dying sun, but will last longer. Thank you for reading, if you want to read more of my work read below Poetry or More https://www.kobo.com/ebook/poetry-or-more-1 Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/richard-murray-16885e64-6c28-459e-bf5f-45c7d458ce49 AALBC https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/blog/29-richard-murray-hearth/

I remember the autumn gatherings when I was a girl; sparkling gala’s where my parents dressed me plus my siblings in glittering attire. I loved it. I felt always like a princess. The pumpkin pie, the cranberrry sauce, the rice pudding, the apple custard, the watermelon slices, the corn bread … I loved it all. A peaceful rearing for me, the magic was in merely being alive; I had no need of unicorns from mystical worlds gated in forests or aliens from beyond the sky or anything unearthly. I had a brilliant summer, and now my Autumn. My autumn is simple and in continuity, a life from a woman alone. My job I like to do while it pay the bills, allow me to save, and give me time off. I am unmarried, but I have all sorts of comforts: masculine,friendly,inhuman; I am not alone. I am the autumn, and I am at peace as when I was the summer. Thank you for reading, if you want to read more of my work read below Poetry or More https://www.kobo.com/ebook/poetry-or-more-1 Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/richard-murray-16885e64-6c28-459e-bf5f-45c7d458ce49 AALBC https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/blog/29-richard-murray-hearth/

I love your cute graphic:) will share:)

thanks @Mel Hopkins I am not receiving notifications on the webpage here, only through the email

Sheets tremor as the phone left on the bed beckons attention.

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are listening, I am richard murray and I have a question for anyone who is listening. The question will only require a sentence to answer. I promise. I want us to make an anthology , not of complete stories or short films but sentences. An anthology of sentences, all you need to do is comment to this tumble to add to it. But! wait, before you type in , Rich shut up, :) I want you to hear the question to be answered. The question for this anthology of sentences is... drumroll:) If the title of a book is the following, what is the first sentence, or the first line in the book, the title of the book is, On March thirteenth in the year two thousand and twenty Breonna Taylor was not murdered by Louisville police but lived?... what is the first line of the book with that title? I placed mine in the comments section. Please let us make an anthology together. In the midnight hour, the moon over the city of Louisville Kentucky showers on it a romantic light, a resting EMT worker, left breast held by her boyfriend, feel a gentle nibble in her ear.

@Troy@Mel Hopkins@Cynique maybe AALBC community can do something together ? Wild idea throw, a panel on black owned websites? thoughts @Sarah Gordon Weathersby @sabine ziya@Maame Dede maybe shesolidarity panel on womens empowerment in comics? @rosa@Uniquelymade7 @Lauretha Ward@Neftali Rivera Jr@Jasonnicholson05@M'Bwebe@Tyr1Jax@zetkabawn FIYAHCON is a virtual convention centering the perspectives and celebrating the contributions of BIPOC in speculative fiction. Put in your email to get updates! Hop around the website and see all the features we have coming your way. Get involved! We're looking forward to bringing this to SFF BIPOC fam https://theconvention.fiyahlitmag.com/ ACTIVITIEs The Meloscriptorium- add a spotify song, good idea to get your name in the list- add a song Chef’s Tables- host recipes from your kitchen, discuss food as a vital element of world building- host a show The Tea House- a place for small gatherings Panels + Presentations - for panels to discuss topics- suggest one Office Hours- one on one meetings, suggest you be a host Workshops- 1 to 2 hosts doing an interactive learning session - host one https://theconvention.fiyahlitmag.com/features/ GET INVOLVES Volunteer Submit an idea to program OR place yourself for consideration Host an office hour Add to the MELOSCRIPTORIUM - https://theconvention.fiyahlitmag.com/get-involved/

@Wendy Jones "The Culinary Art Portfolio of Josephine E. Jones with Ready-to-Frame prints, where food and art intersect." You nailed it right here. I want to read, see and have this book on display in my home! So as you can see, just from this title and introduction; I already know I'm in this audience. I know there are others in the audience too. And here's why - #arthistory #africanamerican #womenshistory #chef #foodporn #gastronomy #oralhistory #pictorialhistory are some of the tags that popped into my head. I also believe "all art is political" ; so in the content I would expect to read about a change agent too. - Art is a movement. - Food is America's pastime and "Food Porn" as the young people call it today - is all over Instagram, pinterest and maybe even facebook as a club. In 2019 , We finally got our very first black woman Michelin star chef. In. 2019. So, imagine to learn there was black woman who was doing this way before social media was a thing! You are tying the past to the present and that would make this book hard to ignore. You've nailed this! Answering the rest of those questions just help you and your publicist to promote your brand in a way that secure you as an authority on Black/African American women history. While your mother may be the protagonist in the narrative you are still highlighting the journey of a group of black women and documenting the period for the annals of American history. Your brand is shining.

Hello, Mel Gladys Mae West is another Hidden Figure. She reminds me of my mother. Quite a story. I read your reply earlier, but I Just found this. Thank you. Having another example is helpful. I will refer to your questions to create the promotion for my next book, The Culinary Art Portfolio of Josephine E. Jones. I have mostly finished the text. It just needs one more revision before I send it to the developmental editor. What I came up before asking your questions was this: The Culinary Art Portfolio of Josephine E. Jones with Ready-to-Frame prints, where food and art intersect. This is my revision after using your questions. Please let me know if I'm on the right track. Who, Why, and How: The Culinary Art Portfolio of Josephine E. Jones with Ready-to-Frame prints The first black woman in management at a Fortune 500 company in 1967, who overcame racism, sexism, and classism, to create food that looked too good to eat.

@Chevdove YAAAY!!! More to come!

I was asked a question If you're willing to do so, would you mind expanding upon this concept? I'm a white writer carefully reading this thread, but I'm a little confused by the phrases "still alive obstinate" and "change their minds against them." Trying to better understand! No pressure obviously https://twitter.com/Brianna_daSilva/status/1239685850926960640 My Reply is Well, in the beginning there was darkness:)... I do not mind communicating to any writer, even if you are a writer of white supremacist fiction. All artists must remember, our purpose is to provide messages, not to choose the messages people want. That is what separate the artists from the proselytizer...Anyway, the best method is to use examples. I will use a tweet sequence, I tried to make it as few as possible. But I placed a link at the end to read it whole. ... I will use three character. The little black brother in V<the television sci fi series>, a native american female character in a short story in a sci fi magazine i read years ago, Eric Kilmonger in the black panther film. Yes, the native american woman is not black african but native americans come in all phenotypes, and are definitely people of color, people of color defined as those non white europeans or of non white european descent. The black panther film had black writers but the base characters were written by a white man, the great stan lee. All three characters start off obstinate to the system. System defined as the culture of white european characters in the particular story. The little black brother in V, admits he is gaining opportunity with the green lizard aliens, he never did in the white human order. But, once his big brother is murdered by the lizards, he replaces his big brother to get the world back to the way it was, absent a mention of how his past activities may play out for him or anything else. He is alive but no longer obstinate. The native american woman is serving the aliens. In the short story which is a blend of "They live" meet "To serve Man" the aliens have got the whole planet forgive me, but they don't need to hide. The white protagonist is trying to do like in V, get earth back. He see an old acquaintance, the native american woman. They fornicate. She hands him to the alien lawmen. She says, this is revenge for the plight of the native american brought upon by the white order. She is alive obstinate. Finally, eric kilmonger chooses to die rather than live in prison. He dies obstinate. And, yes, wakanda is the most advanced community on earth while also Black, but their policies of non involvement relinquished the world control to less technologically advanced whites, which is kilmonger's base problem. To quote agent smith, we are free but not free. A long multilog to the writers choices concerning that is for another time. But, of the three obstinate characters, the native american woman, still alive obstinate is rarest by white writers. Obstinate characters themselves are less common than colored friends by white writers. The older black brother in V the common colored friend. But, that is why I said, I will like more Black characters from white writers like the native american woman in that short story I read years ago, still alive obstinate. Now if I am honest, I comprehend why it is rare, and I don't disagree to it. White writers nor Black ones nor any , have to cater to anybody, or any idea. All writers are free to write the worlds they want. Why would white writers commonly produce worlds where non whites are dominant? Fiction is just that, not reality, and caters to ourselves. what makes us comfortable. That is why I also replied what I want from Black writers. Black writers don't need to reflect peaceful integration desires in the real world.

Daylight Savings Time 382020 It is a hot day, in a late Summer, in Salvador,Bahia, and people are walking about the Lift Series, interchanging people from the Baixa to the Alta or vice versa. Two blocks from the eternal bustle of the Lifts, at the Baixa, sits a painters shop. In it, the owner, a painter is nearly finished his painting of Catalina Ndule Freedman da Silva, a most busy patient. Catalina chose ninety year old Pedro cause he painted her mother and grandmother, both Ialorixa in the Ile Irin; as a new priestess in the temple, granted entry by Oya's blessing, she earned the right to have a painting under the vitral of Oya in the AnelOrisha of the temple, aside other priestesses or priest accepted by Oya. The painting's theme was based on Oya's blessing her, while she was using her hyper acute high powered mineral driver to successfully cut away unwanted elements from an eclogite deposit, mostly filled with white quarts, to reveal a diamond shaped heart within. But, the painting will have to wait, again. She has a meeting with Fernando, and she needs to meet him before his airship starts to the Amazon. Catalina runs out of the shop, and takes a lift up; a small child on a lift down notice her and smile; she take out her tungsten electrochromic circuit balloon and blow it, her small battery allowing it to switch colors in its spirals; the child cheer visibly as it disappears beneath her. She walks through the multicolored pastel pelourinho neighborhood with bitterness when her family was forced to leave by the Mayor's edict, granted approval by the King. Finally, she reaches Fernando , past the rainbow. Fernando stand perturbed. Panting Catalina reply:"I had to wait for the painting, my Mae told me to get my painting done soon, before the Orisha find insult" "Sim, if only the Orishas knew how to deprive us of the King": he jest. "Silencio, behave... Well, do you have it?": Catalina put out a hurried hand. "Hungry aren't we. The shops in the Amazon are full of many curiosities, o Marajo made tech from wood, bits e' pieces are here e' there, I couldn't verify whether that dealer was honest": proclaimed Fernando with his free arm going into his coat. "It was an acceptable arrangement for the trip, besides what I need is a piece within, not exactly the whole": Catalina snap her fingers, and Fernando produce the goods. The Marajo relic is partially broken or withered or gone, but the lenses are in tact. Catalina smile and kiss Fernando on the cheek. She wish him a safe journey on his airship and will see him when he return for his families arrival from Maputo. In her home, Catalina ponder if the lens will work. She places the lenses in the helmet of her narrow band electromagnetic filter, no problem. She look at herself in the mirror, the cat paws are stylish, her colored tattoos about her right arm are eternally cool, she is ready to use. She goes outside and cuts on the helmet. Next, she fine tunes the frequency she determined from explanations to the sounds made when flashes appeared over the Caribbean in the journal of Juan Garrido. She noticed nothing in the sky. Perturbed she put down the helmet. And, she went to her desk, thinking over everything. Night came, and her mother called her to supper. She freshened up and exited her room. Her mother greeted her. "my fofofilha, I know, eu sobre, something is wrong": she smiles at her daughter. "I just did everything, I was just hoping to see the signal, it can lead me to the lair of the phoenix, I know it": huff and puff Catalina. "I noticed your notes, did you take into account everything": query gently Catalina's mother. Catalina look inquiringly, and her mother continue:"well, I noticed the sequence he presents throughout the three days and I recall the measurement of time used back then, I am certain he missed an hour, between his measurement of time and his travels about to the Americas". Catalina is stunned. Her mother hands her the calculations and Catalina runs into her room. Her mother smiles as she walks away. Ten minutes later, Catalina look to the sky with the changed frequency and see the purple light emitted from the lens based on the emissions beyond. The pulses are clearly coming from the north, slightly west, somewhere near Caracas. The phone ring, and Catalina answer, and listen to her mother. "Thank you Ma, for everything, I will be down in a minute to eat, thanks for saving me some spicy acaraje... yes, I will tell you all about the purple glow tomorrow... I need to give Benjamin a call, he probably thinks it is to late to call me, but forgets we don't use daylight savings time here, so I am still in yesterday"

Yes, thanks! Great article! You wrote: S = solution - show us how your product helps us solve our problem. A = access - consider how your readers decide to make purchases... V = value - ask how does this product (book) benefit your reader. Every book is not for everyone. So first find out who reads your type of books - and then share with them how your book fits their desires. E = education knowing who your readers are allows you to share information on topics they enjoy. If your book is a romance - then romance readers would be thrilled to learn the latest - like a romance industry gossip website will bring them to you - and you can engage and build a community around mutual interests. I love this! I am very shaky on the 'A' for access aspect. I have no understandable clue as to how to market a book and find interested readers! And the 'E' I do not understand how an author can really know who their audience might be.

MARDI GRAS 2020 Story tum de de dum dumm, I can hear myself snapping as the sound of horns parading up and down the city streets fill my ears. The spring wind is coming. But Mardi Gras is already here. I suddenly feel jolts. Again, and again, I am not in the mood. My eyes open and Nissa looks in front of me. "Wake up Richard". I try to pull the cover over me, but she insists and swipes the covers away. Tonight was a good night, I don't need the day. But she insists. Time to get breakfast. I know it is her bed and breakfast and I know I needed a room, but everyone in here is knocked out. I even heard her boast last night, and I quote "of having the tightest pussy along the Mississippi". The Mississippi is a huge river, alot of pussies is next to it. How this grandmother has a pussy that tight amazes me. But, time to get breakfast for the folks. Can I get an apple? I ask the lady at the local deli. My entire time in New Orleans, I swear this woman has never smiled at me. I know sometimes I lose myself and my hands start wandering when a sister is about. Maybe I accidentally on purpose swiped at her bottom. A man's loneliness can prey on him. Anyway, she keeps looking at me. Those eyes are so pretty what am I going to do. Then she says: "are you going to buy", unchanged face. I look down and notice two apples. Then I realize, I have been talking to myself the whole time she held my two apples. I realized I may have made a similar inner monologue every day, maybe that is why she looks at me with that unimpressed face. She sighs and I realize I still have not paid and she is still holding the apples. I twitch and get the money out of my pocket and pay for the apples. Now time to get a move on. Wait, why did she give me two when I asked for one. I wonder what that meant. Well, I can see her later today when the parade runs. I get a message from a relative; my cousin’s, sister’s, brother’s, wife’s, niece. I am part of a big bloodline. I click the message and some glittery text, a wassup from Jamaica. I scroll down to see the photo. The text at the end says, enjoying the sun. I am very happy for her. I have to make breakfast this morning for others, for part of my payment for room and board. I imagine she has some stella got her groove back guy saying:"ya lookin fine" and she is twitching all over the beaches of Jamaica while he strolls behind her. well, I am happy for her. I reply: "good morning" The last shop I have to go to is the flower shop. Nissa wants flowers for every person at the bed and breakfast for their meals and et cetera. The shop is a little rusty looking on the outside but when you go in, olfactoric magic. This must be what the great regal gardens in times past smelled like. The first person I see is the owner's daughter Sammy. She asks do I need the usual. I tell her I need quadruple today. She calls her mother. Oh Billy, billy billy billy. She comes from the back and gives a good morning. I tell her, I need four times as much today. She turns and sighs. She tells me she has orders for today, a special party, and may not have enough roses. I call Niss and Carnations will do. She asks me which ones. I have many bags so she is considerate and will pick them. I am not too proud to admit I asked for the lowest ones, after for feigning to high ones, just to see Billy bend over four times. Lovely hanging fruit on Billy. A few days ago, she cussed a guy out bad, he was a little drunk to be honest, after he tried to propose to her. But, during Carnaval, some men get a little drunk and, her fruit is too large to not notice. I bet a drunk man sees a set of linking rings. Her slap across his face the city noticed and my face is to gentle, so I have to play it cool. She gathers the flowers she picked plus the others from Sammy and wraps them up. After I pay for them, she asks to help me. Billy gently places the flowers on the bags I am carrying and then punches me in the side, and gives me a smile, winking her eyelashes innocently. I take my wound and leave a fortunate man. ...I finally get back to the bed and breakfast and look to get in the shower and probably go back to bed. Have a nice naughty dream. I get in the shower and I hear a knock. It is from a woman in a room on the first floor, Candice. She asks if she can come in for a second, she needs the mirror. I say no, I need a peaceful shower with no female vibes. Nissa opens the door for her, she is paying with dollars I am not. "Don't want to look at you anyway" : Candice utters . Nissa leaves unconcerned. I suddenly stop cleaning myself. "You can do whatever you are doin": Candice utters. I am perturbed but naked, wet, a non paying guest in a bed and breakfast. I decide to do the movie male act and see if I can see Candice. I can see her in the mirror. I, honorably, do not touch myself in the shower but I stare at her, big ass. She seems to not care for me. Suddenly, "You masturbating yet!" I retort immediately: "First, I have never once thought about masturbating to you, and please lower your voice, the last thing I need is odd rumors" "MMMhmmmm": Candice reply. She walks out the door, and I continue my shower erect. Nissa tells me to deliver breakfast to the lady at the second floor on the right. I get the breakfast with my white outfit on, like I am in a tobacco barons house. And go to the second floor, and to the right. I knock on it and a boy open the door. His brother is playing with him. The lady, their mother tells them both to stop, and let the man in for breakfast. I come in and one boy asks: "are you a butler". "This is a bed and breakfast son": I say without looking toward him, a smile on my face, yes a smile on my face. The littler brother speaks a spell:" B-U-T-L-E-R". "You have nice sons maam": I look to the lady. She moves over, while her sons are eating: "take a seat". In less than a nanosecond I think of, I think I love my wife. I ask in strategic preparation: "what if your husband comes in?". "He had to work, so we three are enjoying it alone": she calmly state to me, and I go to sit. She continue:" My family are from here and my father wants his grandsons to join him in the brass band this year" "oh cool, which brass band is that": I look over to her. "The Riverboat Stompers": her natural stare, hypnotizing my movements. I shake my head like the charmed snake, the other head is waiting for orders. I shimmy in the seat and reply:" I know of the band, I think Bojangles had a role to play in them" She is taken aback and confirms I am correct. "If you will like I can," :a bell interrupt her. Nissa needs me and I tell the lady: "my name is Richard". She replies: "mine is Mrs. Williams". The words Mrs. Williams struck my heart, I was hoping like all men who risk passion, the possibility of danger. I guess not. But, I feel eyes on me as I leave. Maybe I am just imagining things. In the afternoon, I am told to bring the medical kit to the first floor room on the left. This is Hilda's room. Hilda is a marathon runner. Every day she gets up before anyone else and runs and usually comes back around the afternoon. I once asked her, will she enjoy the mardi gras festivities. She said on the last day, but she usually has quiet time at night enjoying the sound quietly in her room. I knock on her door. And she beckons me inside. she was waiting for the kit. Her ankle seem a little swollen. I asked her how she got it. She said southern roads are unkept. I asked her did she need anything else, and she said no. So I left. I wait at the attendant desk and a boy put up a flyer for the special party. I think I know this woman. She acted in the show, Granddaughter Pancake. A pretty big star, I recall she left the show when she no longer liked dressing up as a schoolgirl. It is amazing they thought they could have her playing that role as a grown woman. I know the heir to a pancake fortune, living in a huge estate, will not be like a girl in the projects. But, after spending years in the projects, with her last remaining blood relatives, she will change her ways somewhat I imagine. Pretty big party to have her headline. I wonder what that special party is about. It is dusk and the noise is growing outside. I enjoyed an hour with Mrs. Williams and the boys at her grandfathers. But now back to the attendant's desk. The woman at the first floor on the right, asked if she had any calls. I told her no, and she chose to sit in the living room. I wonder who she is waiting for. She smells like honeysuckles, and I notice one hidden in her hair. I recall Billy saying today was a big day. I never saw anyone, any guy, come and meet her before and she became a resident a day after me. She smells really good. I see her check her phone and turn. A chocolate covered car, looking like a pierce arrow is outside. A driver in a chocolate uniform comes out and waits. I see a man's hands on a diamond hilt cane, chocolate gloves, in the car. I guess she is his flower for the evening. well, she is definitely in bloom. I watch the car go off. Seven days ago, when I got into the city and was desperate, and luckily found Nissa's bed and breakfast. I found myself standing next to Claire in the rain, about to go in. I shook and got wet all over her clothes, she was not happy, and my apology, to be honest, was not concerning. But, after I made my deal, later that evening I was told to go to the second floor room on the left. When I went in I realized Claire had it. I at first, was apologetic for earlier and we exchanged simple pleasantries, thus I learned her name. She told me her plans in seven days time. She wanted an escort to a special party. I told her, I am not an escort. Then I felt a chill behind me, and it was Nissa. I turned back around and asked Claire: I apologize madam, wherever you want to go I am willing to go, I even made the pantomime tip hat and bow motion. She giggled, which I appreciated and then turned and invisibly swooshed me away. Now, I at Claire's door. I open it and she seem unsatisfied. I ask her is everything alright and she says the man she planned to meet at the special party cancelled on her. I told her not to worry, she is a beautiful woman. And I told her I called a cab already and will be with her to the event space. ... When we got there she was not happy, but I told her not to worry. I talked to Nissa and she told me, about her brother. He happened to be in the party. And was unaccompanied. I told Claire to look at the door, and there he was, in a lipstick red suit, very Denzel Washington in his posture, his grace. I looked over and Claire was happy. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, I admit I got a nice erection watching her walk away, but smiled and went on my evening walk, I think I will stop by that deli. I walk about and follow the human movements, I happen upon Miss Williams grandfather's brass band and I notice the boys, up at night, killing it. I try to see where she is but I cannot find her, the crowd is too big. I am standing next to this lady looking for someone. I ask her, is she alright. She confirms she is looking for her husband. I ask her what he looks like and she gives me a description. I look for him too. He surprises her from behind and they go off into the crowd. I notice their loving slow embrace with power cut through the crowd, and wish them well. I look around a little lonely and notice the deli is not far. Yesterday, was one hell of a day, and the night was mystical. I recall fragments in a dream, where I was surrounded by black roses. I tried to get a whiff but every time I came near, they wilted, but when i went farther they came into stronger bloom. I wonder what was in that drink Tilla gave me. I don't know. I can not sleep, sweat is all over me. I get up and the bed and breakfast is quiet, like the city, MArdi Gras is done. I notice Hilda is running to Bourbon. This is pretty late for her. I guess she couldn't resist that guy who kept making her laugh. I saw them go into her room, I am glad they had a good night. I will walk around the block and get a little stretch in, maybe settle me to go back to bed. I round the second corner and a woman is enjoying the morning to. Neither of us speak, we both seem to had great evenings. I stop and turn to see her turn the corner. I pause in that moment and I can hear the brass bands sound shimmer in the sunlight. CAST @SoulOfAWoman619 Nissa @Jessica1198 Lady at the local deli, Tilla @Ms_Bee_Mer my cousins, sisters, brothers, wifes, niece @SEXIXI80 Claire @SexiiT2981 Billy, mother to Sammy @katrinapri candice @emmarldclark miss williams @sharmaine173 Hilda @tmurray504 woman in the flyer @KOKOLAT first floor on the right @sweetpamela60 the unknown woman @Mimi_131 the married woman at night

thank you @Mel Hopkins

@Mel Hopkins I like the name, bittersweet soul I concur that soul is a secular version of gospel. All black music is from gospel from slave days/blues from the earliest days free/jazz from new orleans.

I don't have a Valentine's album per se, but I do have a collection on apple music called "bittersweet soul." I like soul music which I've recently learned is secular version of gospel music. I kind of knew that though. "This must be heaven" performed by Brainstorm and written by Lamont Johnson is less romance and more like a love song to THE ALL.

MLK jr day 1/20/2020 Many presented videos or text concerning M.L.K. junior today, the twentieth of January. As a point of note, Martin Luther King junior's birthday is on the fifteenth of January, not the third Monday of every January. I am not interested in trying to rewrite the legend of MLK junior. MLK junior like most other historical figures in the USA was made legend after doing legendary things by others, not themselves, by those with agenda. It is more important to change the message in current media than to try to change the influence of past media using current media. My issue is ownership. Martin Luther King junior, asked a simple thing to the black statian, the black community in the USA. Do not use the ways of whites on the path to ownership. It may sound simple but, it is not, historically the ways of whites have never been undone concerning ownership. Comprehend a simple historical fact. People of white European, white is a phenotypical label while European is a geographic, descent are not the majority owners in the united states of america based on positive merit, or decency, or any positive angle. Every inch of land in the u.s.a. today is owned or controlled by the u.s.a. government, itself ranked mostly with whites, or in private white ownership, through various transfers after it was originally taken by killing native americans. Absent land how many firms will exist in the USA? What will the banks or the agricultural firms be in the u.s.a absent slavery? For all the technological modifications by usa based agricultural firms or investments in Silicon Valley in the stock markets, where will any bank or agricultural firm be in the usa without their original fiscal activities involving slaveholders accounts or slave labor for growing produce. Notice I did not refer to an individual person. I am speaking to the white community. The white community in the usa used negative means to become owners and then become financially successful owners. Martin Luther King junior spoke to Black people, grow, be strong, become owners of your own community and beyond; but don't kill another for their land, don't take another person's land, don't enslave another, do not do for yourself, your bloodline, your community by harming others. This is the reality of ownership in the u.s.a. White people help themselves, their community, built on their forebears originally harming others or themselves continuing to harm others. Martin Luther King Junior did not want black people to develop a negative character, a negative legacy, to be unmerited while trying to help their own. He asked a very challenging thing. Martin Luther King junior once said, it is a crude jest to tell a bootless man to lift himself up by his bootstraps. But he also felt the bootless man should not lessen his character by stealing another man's boots. He felt the bootless man should be strong enough to merit his boots through craft, labor, or another's kindness. As a black kid growing up, in a black community, incorrectly labeled but widely labeled, the black mecca, I realized how little the black community in Harlem owned. And in parallel, I knew how much various white communities in New york city owned, more importantly how they owned them. What would the Irish or Italian or white Jewish communities be in new york city absent their mobs, correctly glorified in constant movies. It was the white jewish, italian or irish mobs, the gangsters, the rum runners, the extortionists, the thieves, that had a largest or initial role in the development of ownership in those communities in New York city. I end, with a simple truth, the Black community in Harlem, a cultural district in Manhattan in new york city in new york state, in the united states of america, owns little to nothing in Harlem, yesterday or today. The history of the u.s.a. proves all ownership in the u.s.a. comes from those who were willing to negatively, or through negative actions, earn it. MLK junior asked black people to reject that historical truth, even when we own so little. If the Black statian can keep that hope of MLK jr. alive and one day exist in a u.s.a. where Black people own more than all others, or at least enough to not need another community. It will be a testament to MLK junior’s faith. And make the Black community have a pride, worth more than all the years whites owned far more. https://youtu.be/RnKP__N7MNI Poetry or more audiobook series https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Poetry or More&fcsearchfield=Series&seriesId=06baba96-5af5-5d24-9b8a-f06360287dc9

IT is the moment in the elliptical orbit of any body around our sun when the sun is closest to it. In this case, the earth was closest to the sun in a moment in jan 5th. Every day after the perihelion the earth is farther away from the sun in the elliptical orbit until the aphelion, what i call the natural midyear. After the earth is farthest away from the sun in the elliptical orbit, the aphelion, the earth will continually move closer to the sun till the perhelion. When I say closer or farther I mean based on distance from a line from the center of the sun to the center of the earth. @Mel Hopkins fair enough, in many ways, mlkjr's views/philosophy/desire has had another grand rebuttal.

What is "perihelion"? I could search for it but no search engine would tell me why you wished me a happy one (smile) . MLK jr day isn't on my radar this year. Sometimes I'm moved by his message but this year I'm interested in other species - and how they are dealing with mother nature.

Happy belated new year/perihelion and any thoughts to the upcoming MLK jr day? @Mel Hopkins

well done @Mel Hopkins and thanks for the information in the comments

@Mel Hopkins, I watched the video and read the article -- an interesting story. So much talent went into the GPS project over a period of decades. Today our best and brightest go to Facebook and Goldman Sachs; what a waste of talent, but I digress... I like your advise because, you wrote, "Marketing doesn't dictate WHAT an author should write. It's just that the author should have a group in mind when they do." An author has to, otherwise they won't sell many books because they won't know who the audience is or how to reach them. Don't believe your family will buy your book in droves -- many will want the "hook up" Of course many writers only write books demanded by the market, and that is perfectly fine. Publishers often want to publish specific types of books because they have a particular aesthetic, sensiblity, mission, or are simply chasing percieved consumer demand. They then look for wrters to fit the bill. Strife between writers and publishers arise when there is disagreement between what an author writes and perceived consumer demand. The impacts everthing from cover design, the book's title, and the editing process. Somtimes the publisher is right, but they often get it wrong -- especially when it comes to Black books. Which is why we need more culturally Black publishers, editors, and booksellers.

This was a made up example but Gladys (Brown) West is the "hidden figures" of the GPS. I don't think her biography is complete but I read her story recently

Very concise! I wanna read this book! Was one actually written om this subject or was this just example?

Julia Wanjeri asked me to clarify what I meant using the following prose I say this is an opportunity to redesign womens world cup qual. as well as confed. title journey in #CAf agree? I say change to mirror the conmebol mens system. agree? https://twitter.com/jwanjeri/status/1200745066173812738 My Clarification- I admit beforehand I was purposefully vague In the beautiful game, flag play has many qualification systems to the world cup of confederation cup play. The cup of nations, the euros, the gold cup, the various world cup qualifiers. Of all the confederation cup tournaments or world cup qualifiers in the men's or women's game, which is the most fair or opportune? It is the conmebol men's world cup qualifiers. Currently, as of this writing, the CAF women's cup of nations has a problem finding a host to the tournament. As I alluded, this is an opportunity to overhaul the world cup qualification format as well as the CAF women's cup of nations format. How? The process I suggest is a repeat for the cup of nations as well as the world cup qualifiers. CAF has five sub confederations. Each sub confederation can become a round robin table like in the men's conmebol world cup qualifier. In two calendar years each table will have a champion, one for the south/east/west/central/north, and the champions will play in a five team round robin with each other, ending in a ranked table. The variance between the cup of nations and the world cup will be that for the cup of nations the team atop the champions table will be champions of CAF. While for the world cup qualifiers, currently the top three teams in the champions table will make it into the world cup. I know FIFA wants to advance the number of teams which may mean CAF may get five slots and possibly more slots in the future. If five slots, then all five champions make it into the world cup. If less than five slots, then the top "number currently three" get in, if more than five then the top slots determine the order of the remainders. So, for example, if the champions table ends, from first to fifth: west/central/south/east/north. Then slots six to ten are the second placed teams from the same sub confederation: 2nd place west/central/south/east/north this adds value to where the teams place. in the championship table in the world cup qualification. Now, what does my proposed system solve? First, it ends the need of a host. In my view, some countries not wanting to host demands a system where no one is asked to host. If hosting the caf women's cup of nations had value throughout CAF then a host would never be in doubt. Second, while more important, my system makes the caf womens cup of nations or world cup qualifiers harder flag team test than anything in the men's or women's game in FIFA. In four years', time each women's flag team in CAF has two long marathons, that will test their players/coaches/fans/organization. The best teams get two long marathons and at least one shorter marathon at most two shorter marathon that will be an undeniable proof that they are worthy champions OR the best preparation to enter the world cup. Third, this will reduce costs for all the lower ranked teams. Lower ranked teams may take many iterations before they ever reach a champions table. Thus, their matches will be regional, no long-distance travel. That saves money. No more worries about complicated traveling arrangements or fees, as every match is in a round robin setting. ... I do not have the power or influence to demand or implement my suggestion instantaneously. But this is a moment for all fans to women's soccer in CAF to consider a new system, one that not only deletes a hindrance no longer, but one that improves the opportunity aside the challenge in the caf region in the women's game beyond all other women's systems in other confederations. It's time for Africa.